I have a couple of American Standard strats with the 2-point trem. I was wondering why the majority of the artist series models have the vintage 6-point trem if the 2-point trem is supposed to be better. I would think you would pick the best material to make your signature strat if you get the opportunity. But most of the signature series have a 6-pont trem.

Is Fender just yanking our chain telling us the 2-point trem is better. Do the stars know something we don't know about the vintage trem??

Just curious.

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2005 Fender American Stratocaster W/Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in bridge and Seymour Duncan SSL-5 in neck.
1995 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Line 6 Spider II 150 watt head W/Ampeg 4x12 Cab
Laney Pro-Linebacker PL65R

Hard to explain really but they just sound better. Of course, better is a very subjective word but classic Strat is what you are looking for then all components must be true. The stamped steel saddles are much more crucial then the amount of screws but if you want true Strat tone you'll want a vintage style bridge.

If you really like the 'new strat' sound then more power to you. but it gets old when people rave about them and then come on here asking why they can't get the hendrix sound.

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Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

Hello Deepindigo114,

From a souly mechanical standpoint
I believe the 2 point system is best.

But I believe the purity of a Stratocaster
dictates the 6 point system. Which I like.

Eric Johnson knows the tone differance.
I can't honestly discern any.

Cheers.

honestly, i cant tell the difference in tone or brighter vs warmer for that matter.
the reason most of the choose them has to do with vintage quality vs modern.
60s and 50s if im not mistaken had 6 point trem.

I see no difference. Keep in mind that the strings run through the bridge block, so it doesn't really matter how many screws are on the bridge. The new design has increased mass in the block.

+1
This was a hot topic on a previous thread. The camps seem to be clearly divided. I have both and really can't hear any "significant" difference in tone. I love them both.

I did notice that the RI Strats come with the 6 screw trem for obvious nastolgic reasons. A point that I mentioned earlier was that the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan had the 4 center screws removed on a few of his 6 screw Strats; in effect making it a 2 point trem. For what reason, we may never know. Anyhow, the other day I watched a perfromance of Jeff Beck playing alot of his classic hits along with his new stuff...he was playing a yellow Strat with the modern 2 point trem. He sounded great and musical as usual.

I hear the difference but think its more due to the saddles than the trem.

As far as stars guitars all being 6point i think i have a likely reason for it. Atleast with the oldies. They want what their used to.

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No no and no

Niki is correct. The central focus here is 'vintage'. The trem and string gauges selected reflect that which was originally used on the instrument whose vintage it represents. The new MIA Standard's mass block was re-engineered to reflect that weight in a more streamlined design.

Give you an interesting example. I had the Custom Shop build a guitar for me specifying that it was to be '57 Stratocaster body platform with a 22 fret rosewood board on a Clapton V-neck profile. It was then what they used to call Teambuilt. The guitar first arrived tagged '65 NOS with a C-neck. Why?? Because 57's did NOT have 22 fret necks w/rosewood boards, and 65's did not have V-necks. The trem was that classic heavy 6-pointer. That's vintage spec control

Where Jeff Beck is concerned I have memory of reading an article years back as to how his trem is set up. It gives him the abiilty toeasily both sharp and flat his notes and I believe his signature guitar is set up in said fashion.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

Now Jeff Beck's trem is a constant source of fascination for me. Does he reshape that trembar so he can reach the volume control. I for the life of me cant pluck a string, manipulate the volume control and use the trem at the same time.

Note also he uses 2 point trems, no doubt for their easier, lighter tension.

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No no and no

I have the Ronnie Scott video in my DVD player at the present time. I was watching it last night. He does a piece using a glass slide over the pickups, beyond the range of the neck and, watching carefully, I saw the trem rocking as he applied pressure from the slide to the strings. This would suggest that the trem is very lightly sprung, and delicately balanced.

You have to carefully analyze how is positions his guitar. There's more than fingers involved in the generation of these tones. Would bet that the palm, heel, wrist and forearm come into it somehow.

During the interviews he touched some on how different it was working that room, not only with respect to acoustics, but to intimacy with the audience. Apparently they had a difficult time sound checking that space.

Beck has to run his gain enormously high in order to eke out the tone using the kinds of delicate hand technique he employs. It's a kind of high wire balancing act in sound which, no doubt, has taken years to master, yet master it he has, to the nines.

In a large concert venue, that's not much of an issue, but in one's basement, which is pretty much what Ronnie's is.....well, that's a horse of a different color.

Of additional interest in the interviews is learning how he came to know of Tal, and listening to her take on her work.

Best thing for you is to get the DVD and digest it. A tour de force to say the least.

Doc

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"Another day in paradise!"

I can most definitely hear a difference, but I believe most popular players use them because most of them use real vintage strats, and thats what's on them. The 2 point is only better IMO if you're going to be using the tremolo for wider sweeps then 1/2 step up. My vintage tremolo stays in tune much better than my 2 point I had on the Am Dlx, though Im not sure if its because of the trem.